Double-acting clutch.



A. W. WHITGOMB.

DOUBLE ACTING CLUTCH.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JULY 24, 1911.

1,056,243. Patented Mar. 12, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- WZtmJeJ:

. 04mm M A. W. WHITGOMB. DOUBLE ACTING ULUTOH APPLICATION TILED JULY 24,1911.

1,056g243. Patented Mar. 18,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO W. WHITCOMB, O1 WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T WHITCOMB-BLAISDELL MACHINE TOOL COMPANY, A CORIORA'IION 01 MASSACHUSETTS.

DOUBLE-ACTING CLUTCH.

Application filed July 24, 1911.. Serial No. 640,088.

- To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALoNzo W. Wan

com, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in thecounty of Worces- 6 ter and State of Massachusetts, have. in-

vented a new and useful Double-Acting Clutch, of which the following isa specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved doubleacting clutch particularly of the electro-magnetic type.

To this end the invention consists of the parts and combinations ofparts hereinafter described, and more out in the claims at the end ofthis specification.

' The invention is illustrated in the accompanying two sheets ofdrawings; referring to-which-- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of myimproved d'ouble acting clutch; Fig. 2 is an end elevationfrom theleft-hand side shown in Fig. 2; Figs. 3 and 4 are end elevations of theadjusting ratchets; and Figs. 5 and 6 are side elevations of thesaw-tooth thrust pieces hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings and in detail A designates a driving shaft andB a driven shaft, the particular arrangement being such that power is tobe transmitted from the shaft A to the shaft B when the clutch is inoperation. Fastened to the shaft A is a friction clutch member G. Thismember consists of a hub 10 projecting from which are radial arms 11which have segments 12 at their outer ends. The segments are separatedfrom each other, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and their outer surfaces areformed on an incline,'as illustrated in Fig. 1, so as to form a conicalfriction surface. The arms or spokes 11-11 are inclined or dish-shapedfor a purpose hereinafter described. The hub 10 is secured to the shaftA by a pin 13.

D designates a disk armature which is 45 threaded on to the hub .10.

E designates a hollow electro-magnet which is provided with a coil 14.The magnet is provided on-its surface with a metallic ring 15 supportedon an insulating ring A spring-pressed plunger 17 1s arranged to bear onthe ring 15. One end of the coil is connected to thering 15 and theother end to the magnet frame or core and thus to the ground. Theplunger 17 is 55 mounted in a plug 18, which is insulated particularlypointed from the rest of the mechanism, and one wire of the circuit isconnected to this plug, and the other to the ground. By closin thecircuit the electro-magnet is energiz or byopening the circuit themagnet is deenergized. Themagnet is provided with an extending conicalflange 19, which is shaped to cooperate with the segments 12 which formsa friction engaging surface. The magnet is normally kept away from thesurface of the armature by means of bolts 20.. which are housed in thearmature and which have nuts 21 screwed on their ends engaging which aresprings 22 housed around said bolts.

On the back of the armature is arranged a ratchet 24:. Fitted on the hubof the armature is a ring 25 which has ratchet teeth 26 shaped to engagethe ratchet teeth 24. of the armature. Plungers 27 have their endsthreaded or fastened in the arms 11 of the friction clutch member G, andsprings 28 are arranged around these plungers so as normally to forcethe-ring 25 and its ratchet 26 into engagement with theratchet 24; onthe armature. The ratchets 24: and 26 and the screw-threads of thearmature on the hub 10 are arranged so that this mechanism forms anautomatic adjusting device for keeping the magnet in just the exactadjustment relative to the armature. When the magnet is energized it ispulled toward the armature and brings the friction surfaces intoengagement. This engagement is very powerful, asv the dish-shaped spokes1111 will provide a toggle action which will throw the segments 12- 12outwardly. If the face of the magnet engages the armature before thereis suflicient engagement in the friction surfaces to lock the same, thefriction of the armature on the magnet will turn the armature on the hub10, so as to screw the armature up thereon, the ratchets permitting thismovement. This will automatically bring the parts to adjustment, so thatthe normal operation will be such that the magnet will be attractedsubstantially into actual contact with the armature who the maximumclutching efi'ect is attained.

The ratchets prevent any backward movement of the armature on its hub.This adjustment will also be continued when there is any wear of thefriction surfaces. The heads or nuts 23 on the bolts 20 tend to keep theratohets in engagementwhen the mag net is free of the armature, butwhen, magnet is pulled toward the armature, the heads 523 lift from thering a slight distance so that the ratchet can act, as previouslydescribed, the plungers 27 and springs 28 then being the only means forholding the ratchets to ether.

The magnet E is slidably arranged on a hub 29 which is loosely journaledon the shaft A. Extending from this hub 29 is a flan e 30 which forms afriction engaging surfice F surrounding a friction clutch member Gcomprising segments 81, connected by arms 32 to a hub 33 which issecured by pin 34 to the shaft A. The construction of the conicalfriction 31, arms 32,

and hub 33 preferably is substantially the same as the parts 10, 11 and12, and the two friction clutch members 0 and G are opposed oroppositely arranged relatively to each other.

A gear 35 is keyed to the hub 29 and meshes with a gear 36 keyed to theshaft B. The end of the hub 29 is formed with sawteeth 37 to form athrust piece, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Loosely fitting on the shaft Ais a hub or thrust piece 38 which .has saw-teeth 39 shaped to engage thesawteeth 37. The saw-teeth 37 and 39 are arranged annularly, asillustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. The hub 38 is provided with a pin 40 whichfits into a slot 41 extending par tially across the hole in the magnetE. The pin 40 also fits in a groove 400 out in the shaft A so as tolimit the right hand movement of the electro-magnet.

In 0 oration when the magnet is energized, t e same moves toward thearmature and enga es the friction surfaces of the friction c utch memberG and the friction engaging surface 19. This causes the magnet E torotate with the shaft A. As the magnet rotates it bears on the pin 40and turns the thrust piece 38. This, through the saw-teeth 37 and 39tends to turn the hub 29 and to force the same to the right. As the hub29 is turned, the gear 35 is turned, and when the gear 35 encounters theresistance of the gear 36 on the driven shaft B, the engagement betweenthe two sets of saw teeth will force the friction engaging surface F tothe right into tight engagement with the friction clutch member G, andthese friction surfaces additionally will lock and thus a doubleclutching effect will be obtained. When the electro-magnet isdenergized, the same will be allowed to move to the right, by means ofsprings 22, and the friction engaging surfaces on both sides will bereleased.

To provide against sticking of the right hand friction engaging surfaceF, arms 4:2

are secured to the gear 35, which arms are connected by springs 43 topins 44 secured in the magnet, the function and purpose of notc es thesearms and springs being to pull the friction engaging surface F to theleft when the electro-maf net is deenergized and thus insure theunloclring of the right-hand clutching surfaces Thus a double acting magnetic clutch of the electro-magnetic variety is provided.

The details and arrangements herein shown and described may be greatlyvaried by a skilled mechanic without departing from the scope of myinvention as expressed in the claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim and desire tosecure by Letters-Patent is r- 1. In a clutch, the combination of adriving shaft, a friction clutch member secured on the shaft, anarmature connected to the friction clutch member, means whereby thearmature will be automatically adjusted re1- atively to the frictionclutch member an electro-magnet loosely mounted on the shaft and havinga friction surface for engaging the friction clutch member and means fortransmitting power from the magnet when it is energized.

2. In a clutch, the combination of a driving shaft, two opposed frictionclutch members secured on the shaft, two friction engaging surfaces forengaging the friction clutch members, means for engaging and disengagingone friction surface with its clutch member, and thrust pieces arrangedbetween said friction surfaces, whereby when one friction surface isenga ed it will force the other friction surface in o engagement. 3. Ina clutch, the combination of a drivmg shaft, two opposed friction clutchmemhers secured on the shaft, two friction sur faces for engaging thefriction clutch mem bers, means for engaging and disengaging onefriction surface with its clutch member, and thrust pieces havingengaging saw-teeth arranged between said friction surfaces, whereby whenone friction surface is en gaged, it will force the other frictionsurface into engagement.

4. In a clutch, the combination of a driving shaft, two opposed frictionclutch members secured on the shaft, two friction surfaces for engagingthe friction clutch members, means for engaging and disengaging onefriction surface with its clutch member, thrust pieces arranged betweensaid friction surfaces, whereby when one friction surface is en aged itwill force the second friction sur ace into engagement, and springs fordisengaging the second friction surface when the first friction surfaceis disengaged.

5. In a clutch, the combination of a driving shaft, two opposed frictionclutch members secured on the shaft, an electro-magnet loosely mountedon the shaft and carrying pieces wi a friction surface for engaging withone clutch member, a second friction surface for engaging with the otherfriction clutch member, and thrust pieces arranged between said frictionsurfaces, whereby when the magnet is energized, one friction surfacewill enga e its clutch member and the thrust force the other frictionsurface into engagement with its clutch member.

6. In a clutch, the combination of a driving shaft, two opposed frictionclutch members secured on the shaft, an electro-magnet having a frictionengaging surface for engaging one of the clutch members, an armaturecarried by said clutch member, the electro-magnet being slidablyarranged on the hub of the other friction engaging surface, a gear onthis hub for transmitting power, the end of the hub being formed withnotched teeth, a thrust collar having notched teeth arranged between onefriction clutch member and the hub of the other friction engagingsurface, and a sliding connection between said electro-magnet and saidthrust collar.

In testimony whereof 1 have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

ALONZO W. WHITCOMB.

Witnesses:

J. ELMZER HALL, E. M. ALLEN.

